History of CCDT

Graylingwell Hospital has been acquired by a partnership between Linden Homes and Affinity Sutton Housing Association who have planning approval for 750 homes and related commercial and community facilities. The planning application is the result of an extensive high quality community consultation and masterplanning process, which has highlighted a number of aspirations and requirements from the local communities and other stakeholder groups.

The site was sold by the Homes and Communities Agency [HCA] (formerly known as English Partnerships) with a requirement for the developer to establish a Community Development Trust to take responsibility for a number of community buildings and to lead on supporting the development of a sustainable community.

A Community Development Trust is a charitable company intended to bring about social, economic and environmental benefits to the community. It is governed by a board of trustees made up of residents, facility user groups, and other local stakeholders. Development Trusts are regarded as community enterprises, which means that they:

  • are community-led organisations
  • adopt a self-help ethos, working in partnership but avoiding dependency
  • adopt an enterprise approach to achieve philanthropic and social benefits
  • trade for social purpose, and surpluses are reinvested in further enterprise development and for community benefit
  • seek community ownership of buildings, land and other assets to build business capacity and achieve community goals

Latest News